I Did Not Leave My Heart In San Francisco

I think I underestimated how much down time I’d have on the road, especially this last week.

The last time I shared anything with you all, we were about to play San Francisco. I have to say, I’m extremely grateful that my east bay friends came out, and brought friends with them to the Hotel Utah. It was a bit of a haul for them, and definitely a unique journey given that it was not only raining, but it was Superbowl Sunday. This Seattle fan was a bit disappointed in the Falcon’s loss, but my focus was definitely elsewhere that night. I digress.

I shared the humble bill in San Francisco at Hotel Utah with a guy name Peter Kasen. His indie rock sound is a bit in contrast to mine, but he was such a sweet guy, even after his 10-12 hour drive from Portland, Oregon earlier in the day! For those of you that think sharing the bill means paying for a meal together, let me clarify what kind of bill I mean:

bill 1 |bil| noun

3 a program of entertainment, especially at a theater: she was top of the bill at America's leading vaudeville house.

Okay, now that we’re on the same page, let me continue. The Hotel Utah Saloon in San Francisco is definitely full of a lot of character; from the staff, to the decor, to the clientele, it’s clear that there is some unique history in this venue.

I thought the show itself went well. I played for a little more than an hour to my friends, and the few folks who tuned into my friend Jen’s Facebook Live stream. It felt more like a house show than a club show. There was one gentlemen who came down from the bar, and listened for a good while. He seemed to have a genuine soul, and it was interesting to watch and wonder what he, and everyone else might be experiencing and feeling. Even on stage, I feel I’m a bit of a people watcher.

After I finished my set, we sat and watched Peter share some of his journey; stories about losing his father and not being able to make it to the funeral, stories about love he once had, and stories about his life on the road came flowing out of him and his guitar with great passion.

I lingered a bit after Peter was finished, and after my friends had left, and spent some time with a friend that my travel buddy Jessicca knew from her childhood. It’s always a treat to hear stories about someone else’s life from the people they knew once up on a time.

Next up was Los Angeles, and after our quick visit with Jessicca’s friend, we loaded up Winston (our tour van), and made the trek back across the Bay Bridge, and to our temporary home for a quick rest and onto the next phase of our journey in Los Angeles. That adventure was a roller coaster ride of experience and emotion, including shows, events, and a trip to the Grammys. I invite you to read the following blogs to hear about all the incredibly things we felt and saw.